Commercial Finance Business Partner in Essex

• Location
• Essex, England
• Vacancy Type
• Full Time / Permanent
• Application Deadline
• Wednesday, September 30, 2026
• About the Organisation

Maldon Salt is a fourth-generation family-owned business with almost 145 years of craftsmanship at its heart.

Our unique pyramid shaped sea salt flakes have been hand-harvested using the same traditional methods since 1882 and are recognised globally as the finest of sea salts, exporting to over 60 countries worldwide.

Trusted by chefs and cooks around the world and recognised by the Royal Household, we have proudly held the Royal Warrant as official purveyors of sea salt since 2012.

Today, Maldon Salt combines this unique heritage with innovation—remaining true to our roots whilst inspiring new generations of food lovers with an expanding portfolio of salts and seasonings..

As a business, we take our corporate social responsibility to our customers, partners, and our ourselves seriously, continually seeking ways to reduce our environmental impact.

This includes initiatives such as lowering carbon emissions and using carbon-balanced packaging.

In partnership with the World Land Trust, Maldon Salt supports global conservation efforts, helping protect threatened habitats and wildlife with every box produced.

This ongoing commitment reflects our dedication to global environmental sustainability and responsible business practice s.

Job Summary

This role is central to strengthening commercial decision-making and performance across Maldon Salt.

Working closely with Sales and Marketing, the Commercial Finance Business Partner brings high-quality financial insight, robust performance and margin analysis, commercial judgement and constructive challenge to key decisions across pricing, promotional investment, demand planning and broader commercial priorities, while helping to raise the quality of commercial analysis and decision support across the business.

It is a hands-on but strategic role for someone who combines analytical strength with high-quality business partnering, builds credibility quickly with stakeholders and stays close to evolving decisions as hypotheses change.

This is not a reporting-only role; it requires someone who can translate complexity into clear insight, work effectively with incomplete information and help move discussions towards practical action.

About the Job

Key Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Head of FP&A, act as a trusted finance partner to Sales and Marketing, building credibility and trusted relationships across the business while providing insight, guidance and constructive challenge to help shape decisions, navigate competing priorities and support efficient commercial outcomes.
• Deliver clear analysis of sales, volume, price, margin and mix by customer, channel and product, explaining performance drivers and providing decision-ready commentary for management and executive reviews to support action, margin improvement and more efficient commercial decisions.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing on promotional investment, NPD and range decisions, using robust analysis and commercial judgement to guide pricing, margin and investment choices through multiple iterations as plans evolve.
• Support the demand S&OP process by providing financial insight, challenge and scenario analysis to help align demand plans with commercial priorities, operational constraints, margin expectations and business performance.
• Build and maintain models, dashboards and tools using Excel, Power BI and practical AI-enabled solutions, while improving insight quality, reporting clarity and data discipline through better processes, clearer performance measures and more effective use of data and systems.
• Contribute to the development of the FP&A and Business Partnering function, helping build robust analysis, clearer reporting and more effective decision support as the business grows.

What Success Looks Like

• Finance is seen as a credible, valued partner to Sales and Marketing, with insight and constructive challenge helping shape decisions rather than simply reviewing outcomes.
• Pricing, mix, margin and promotional investment decisions are supported by clearer analysis, better visibility of trade-offs and earlier action.
• Commercial decision-making improves over time, with greater analytical rigour contributing to more focused growth decision, more informed investment choices and sustained margin delivery.
• The FP&A and business partnering capability develops in step with business growth, building effective relationships, clearer accountability and more effective decision support.
• Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required
• Experience in commercial finance, FP&A or business partnering, ideally within FMCG or another product-led business with a strong consumer brand.
• Sound commercial judgement and the ability to work effectively with stakeholders across the business, including non-finance teams, balancing pace, competing priorities and constructive challenge.
• Advanced Excel and strong financial modelling capability, plus experience using Power BI or similar tools to produce clear, decision-ready analysis and strengthen insight and decision support.
• Experience managing projects or workstreams, coordinating across functions and driving delivery in a practical, commercially focused way.
• Experience operating in a growing or evolving business where finance must adapt to increasing complexity, provide deeper insight and support more forward-looking decision-making.
• This role would suit an established senior analyst ready for broader commercial ownership, or a candidate moving from practice into a commercial role with the core skills and attributes to succeed.
• Key Behaviours & Attributes
• Pragmatic and solution-focused, able to work through commercial complexity, use incomplete information effectively, and turn analysis into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Commercially curious and proactive, with the confidence to ask the right questions, challenge hypotheses constructively and support better decisions.
• Establishes relationships across the business and works well in team environments, contributing positively to shared problem-solving while maintaining an independent, business-first perspective.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, resistance and robust debate, with the resilience to stay constructive under pressure, handle difficult conversations well and keep engaging as decisions evolve.
• Able to influence senior stakeholders with confidence and credibility, using clear insight, sound judgement and well-structured challenge to support better decisions without direct authority.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, hands-on environment, balancing Maldon Salt’s heritage with the demands of an ambitious and growing business.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (CIMA, ACCA, ACA or equivalent) preferred, although strong candidates qualified by experience will also be considered.
• Hours
• 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm

Benefits

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• 25 days (pro-rata) annual leave + bank holidays rising to 28 days with length of service (plus bank holidays)
• 1 week company sick pay after successful probationary period, increasing to 3-weeks Company Sick Pay (after 12 months service)
• Life Assurance (4 x basic annual salary, after 6 months service)
• Income protection (after 3 months service), payable at 75% of basic salary, for up to 5 years (subject to approved claim by insurance provider)
• Private Medical Insurance (after 6 months service), and option to add dependants/family, self-funded by employee.
• Enhanced Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme (4% matched contributions)
• Opportunities for professional growth
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee discounts to high street retailers
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Company Events
• Free refreshments, such as, tea and coffee